D'Arcy & Monk: Dumb and Dumber

"Dumb and Dumber" was how these two were described on the ABC program The Gruen Sweat the other night. I thought it was very apt, as they're in the news again. 

This is the picture that got them into trouble recently, which they posted on Facebook, a buddy shot in America:

 It's not anything major I don't think, but they both have quite a history behind them and the Aust Olympic Committee (it's been suggested) was looking for anything to get them out of the Olympic village as soon as they could before they did anything really stupid, again. They used this picture to justify sending them home after their events were over, as punishment.

I've already gone into D'Arcy's thuggery here, of which he declared bankruptcy to avoid paying his victim Simon Cowley $180,000 in compensation, which it seems to have been largely forgotten by many. Monk however has another story behind him.

In the same vein as is starting to look like a bit of a common denominator amongst some of our Athletes in London, Monk appears to have the maturity of a ten year old, despite being 23. Not long ago he was riding his skateboard and fell off, causing lots of damage to his elbow. 

However, even though he's all grown up and 23 now, he reckons he got scared of his coach as he wasn't supposed to be taking risks like that in the lead up to London. So what did he do? He told everyone he'd been hit by a car in a hit and run. Which of course made headlines, like "Olympic swimmer injured in hit and run", and the like. Yeah, real smart move there.

So there's public outrage at one of our precious Olympians being injured by a heinous evil dastardly type hit and run driver. The police launch into finding this asshole, to give him his just deserts (about now Monk probably starts getting a bit nervous about his lie).

I'll let the article tell the rest of the story:

INJURED swimmer Kenrick Monk's Olympic hopes are in deep water after he was yesterday forced to confess that his hit-and-run story was a lie.

The Commonwealth gold medallist broke down in tears yesterday as he confessed at a press conference that he broke his elbow falling off his skateboard.

On Wednesday he told police that he had been the victim of a deliberate hit-and-run by a P-plater. But after police told him a witness had surfaced to question that claim, Monk was forced to own up.

He faces a potential criminal charge for making false statements to police, and his prospects of selection for the London 2012 team are in jeopardy.

Monk insisted his teammates - originally reported as coming to his aid - knew nothing about the deception.

"There was a witness and that's why I told the truth," the 23-year-old said yesterday.

"I would have come forward anyway. I can't handle it no more.
Link

Fuck.... Yep, another wonderful representative of our country. So after that and D'Arcy in court for serious assault, they both put that picture on Facebook (um, gun laws are very strong in Australia). The AOC pounces on it, trumps it up, and tells them to leave London early and return to Australia.

And so we come to the latest chapter in this ongoing saga. They've left London, but for some strange reason they don't have to come back to Australia yet, instead joining their families for a holiday in Europe:

The Australian Olympic Committee has come to an agreement with swimmers Nick D'Arcy and Kenrick Monk for them to delay their return to Australia provided they do not remain in London during the Games period.

In punishment handed out to the pair for posting photos on Facebook of themselves brandishing guns in America in the lead-up to the Olympics, D'Arcy - who failed to reach the men's 200m butterfly final - and freestyle swimmer Monk had originally been required to fly home once the swimming program had been completed.

But it is understood the pair will now fly to Europe to holiday with family and friends.

The AOC released a statement which said the pair had surrended their Olympic accreditation and left the athletes' village.

"They have given an undertaking to adhere to the earlier sanction and not engage in social media activity during the Games period," the statement said.

"Their travel back to Australia will be at their own cost."
Link

Fly back at his own expense? I though D'Arcy was bankrupt? It's a flight to the other side of the world, you can't just buy that with a couple of hundred dollars. And why did the so called "punishment" change? Did they both chuck a tantrum to get their way? 

What a farce. I wonder how Simon Cowley is feeling right now.